Suspect in deadly attack on 2 National Guard members in DC appears in court
WASHINGTON - The man accused of shooting two members of the National Guard as they were patrolling in Washington, D.C. in November appeared in court on Monday.
Suspect in court
What we know:
According to court records, the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, appeared in court on Monday, Dec. 29.
A public defender was officially appointed as his defense attorney, and he will have a Pashto interpreter for the duration of his trial.
Records show that Lakanwal gave up his right to a quick preliminary hearing. At this time, he is being held without bond.
His next hearing is set for 1 p.m. on Jan 15, and could determine whether he'll remain in jail long-term.
READ MORE: National Guard shooting: Suspected shooter pleads not guilty
A deadly attack
The backstory:
On Wednesday, Nov. 26, two National Guard members from West Virginia were shot in what authorities called an ambush as they were patrolling D.C.'s streets — just blocks away from the White House.
The attack happened around 2:15 p.m. near 17th and I Streets, which is in the northwest section of the District not far from the Farragut West Metro station. Officials say the lone gunman, later identified as Lakanwal, was armed with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver, opened fire "without provocation, ambush-style."
One guard member was struck and fell to the ground; the gunman leaned over and shot them again. A second guard member was struck several times.
Other guard members at the scene responded with gunfire, wounding the suspect. He was taken to a local hospital under heavy guard. His condition was not immediately clear.
The victims in the shooting were 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe. Beckstrom passed away from the injuries sustained in the shooting on Nov. 27.
According to a press release from the West Virginia National Guard, Wolfe entered service in 2019 and Beckstrom entered service in 2023. Both guard members had been on Task Force orders in the district since the beginning of the federal takeover in August.
The suspect
Dig deeper:
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, said to be a 29-year-old Afghan who entered the United States legally under President Joe Biden's program to re-home allies from Afghanistan in September 2021. He lived in Bellingham, Washington, with a wife and five children.
Lakanwal allegedly drove from Washington to D.C. with the intention of carrying out the attack.
President Donald Trump previously blamed the Biden administration for Lakanwal's presence in the U.S., saying that he wasn't properly vetted, though the Department of Justice's Inspector General in June found that there was sufficient vetting.
Fox News has also reported that Lakanwal's asylum application was approved under the Trump administration.